Hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the life of British aid worker Alan Henning in a multi-faith ceremony in Manchester on Sunday. Henning, who was beheaded by terror group ISIS earlier in October, was remembered as a "hero" who "put the needs of others before his own."

"We are here to remember a hero," said Dr Usman Chaudhary at the opening of the service, according to The Guardian. "A hero who left the comforts of his own home for no other reason than to help the destitute and needy refugees of Syria."

Henning, who lost his life at the hands of Islamic militants, was kidnapped in December of 2013 after crossing into Syria on a humanitarian aid mission. The 47-year-old Briton is one of several westerners in recent weeks to be beheaded on video by ISIS as a message to western powers to stay out of Iraq and Syria. more >>

The Red Umbrella, an organization focused on empowering at-risk women, is now seeking to aid female refugees fleeing the Assad regime in Syria.

Based in Dallas, Texas, The Red Umbrella strives to help female refugees in the Middle East and raise awareness about their living conditions to the rest of the world, Lissette Handal, founder and CEO of TRU told The Christian Post.

"The perception people have of the Middle East here [in the U.S.] is of terrorists and the Islamic extremists. I think [Americans] forget that [these people] are also human beings just like you and me," Handal said. The political perception of what is the Middle East overshadows the human aspect." more >>

Ed Young, pastor of the Texas-based, multi-campus Fellowship Church, explained in his Sunday sermon the difference between Christianity and other world religions to make the point that following Christ is not a religion but is rather based on a relationship.

Young's sermon was part of his current "Mythbusters" series which he has used to biblically clarify preconceived notions about God that society tends to hold as true. In talking about religion, Young emphasized that God does not want His followers to be religious, contrary to what people think.

"There are some similarities among world religions because all make exclusive claims but Jesus says in John 14:6, 'I am the way, the truth and the life. No one gets to God but by Me,'" said Young. "So to call Jesus just a good teacher is being intellectually and historically dishonest." more >>

The organization September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows has launched a campaign against Islamophobia through a new bus ad promoting religious tolerance and interfaith unity in New York City. This comes just after a recent poll conducted by the Arab American Institute shows that Americans have an increasingly negative attitude toward Muslims in the United States.

"We wanted to make a clear statement that our 9/11 family members do not want to promote fear and hatred in our names," said Peaceful Tomorrows Project Director Terry Greene, whose brother died aboard United Flight 93, to HuffPost. "We believe that unity and interfaith tolerance are the path forward to a more peaceful tomorrow."

A New York town whose unofficial prayer policy was successfully defended before the U.S. Supreme Court has adopted a formal invocation policy for its monthly board meetings.

Town of Greece voted last week to adopt the formal policy, having had an informal policy wherein people could pray sectarian invocations before the beginning of the board's public meeting.

Brian Marianetti, attorney for Town of Greece, told The Christian Post that the invocation policy was approved by the board on Aug. 19 in response to the increased attention Greece got due to the controversy over its prayers. more >>